Richard Muir: Edinburgh-based pioneer biomedical scientist and medical artist.

Abstract

Richard Muir (1862-1931) began his career as a 'lab boy' in the Pathology Department of the University of Edinburgh in 1876 at the age of 13. This was a newly created category of worker that eventually became today's biomedical scientist Muir rapidly gained expertise in pathological and bacteriological techniques including staining and microscopy. Exceptionally, for someone non-medical and non-university-educated individual, he was elected a member of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and appointed Demonstrator in Pathology in the University of Edinburgh Pathology Department. He authored papers on staining techniques for bacteria and on the pathology of syphilis of the ear and became a recognised diagnostic histopathologist, despite having no medical qualifications. He especially excelled as an artist, depicting the microscopic world of pathology and microbiology and produced diagrams for hundreds of publications including his own book and also large wall hangings of the microscopic world for teaching purposes. This paper describes the unique contribution of Richard Muir to pathology in Edinburgh and beyond in the early 20th century.